Rescue apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for transporting personnel or materials from an upper elevation to a lower elevation. Twin guideline means are suspended between the upper and lower elevations from each of which is suspended a carrier means. The two carrier means are simultaneously moveable in opposite directions along their respective guideline means.

It is claimed: 
     
       1. An apparatus for transporting personnel or other cargo between higher and lower elevations comprising: (1) a support frame anchorable at the higher elevation in which frame is mounted: a right guideline means spool to which are attached the proximal ends of a right guideline means and a left guideline means and respectively, the distal ends of said guideline means being anchorable to the lower elevation, said guideline means spools having a means for tensioning said guideline means; a towline spool means having a right towline and a left towline which towlines are wound around said towline spool means in opposite directions, and   
     
     
       (2) carrier means suspendable from each guideline means by a pulley means, said carrier means being attachable to the distal end of each towline and positioned such that the carrier means suspended from one guideline means is near or at the higher elevation while the carrier means suspended from the other guideline means is near or at the lower elevation, said carrier means comprising a transverse member whose ends can fit on inclined anti-sag guides attached to the right and left sides of the support frame, said guides being placed such that they support the carrier means as it traverses the length of the guides, said guides extending downward and beyond the front of said support frame. 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said towline spool means comprises a right towline spool and a left towline spool mounted on a common shaft to which the proximal ends of said right and left towlines are respectively attached. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said guideline means spools are mounted on seperate shafts both of which are rotatable by means of a pilot wheel which transmits force to a spur gear coacting with a pinion gear mounted on a guideline means spool. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the tensioning means for said guideline means comprises a ratchet and pawl mechanism mounted on a guideline means spool which ordinarily allows rotation of the spool in only one direction. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein rotation of said towline spool means is braked by means of a drum brake apparatus acting on the common towline spool shaft. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein rotation of said towline spool means is braked by means of a disc and caliper brake apparatus acting on the common towline spool shaft. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 wherein each carrier means comprises a chair having an aluminum frame with interwoven nylon webbing. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 1 or 6 wherein each guideline means comprises a single guideline. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6 wherein each guideline means comprises a pair of parallel guidelines. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said guidelines are one-half inch nylon kernmantle rope. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein each carrier means is suspended from a pairs of pulleys, one pulley being attached to each guideline comprising the guideline means, which pulleys are independently attached to said carrier means. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein each of said pulleys is connected to the carrier means by a pully-to-carrier means connector having a set length which thereby defines a maximum interpulley separation distance between the pair of pulleys for each carrier means. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the distal ends of each guideline means are secured to the lower elevation at a distance from each other which is greater than the maximum interpulley separation distance between any pair of pulleys. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein a pair of guidelines making up a guideline means is maintained in a parallel configuration by a releasable constraining means encircling said pair of guidelines, which upon release increases the distal interguideline distance beyond the length of the maximum interpulley separation distance between any pair of pulleys, which effectively brakes a descending carrier means. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein each guideline means spool is divided by a center flange which provides a double spool capable of accomodating a pair of guidelines. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6 wherein each carrier means comprises two or more interconnected chairs. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 1 or 6 wherein said support frame may be mounted on wheels. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said support frame is engageable with an anchoring means which is permanently mounted at the upper elevation.